A strong stomach is needed for this journey

[gandydancer]

At this point we are a FCS team sprinkled with FBS players. BD inherited a team that is not competitive at this level. It serves no purpose to dump on him or the players. They are what they are. My money is on BD . He knows who he wants to recruit and how to shape the team. I'm thinking a three year rebuild and then we will be sniffing the top 25, or maybe even be there. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the tailgating and cheer what little successes they have.

 

[ktuck911]

I would add Diaco to that list. He did not instill confidence tonight. Before the season started I was trying to decide if Diaco was used car salesman or Kevin Ollie. I am leaning right now towards the used car salesman. God I hope I am wrong.

Lol... I gave to admit you got a point bro....we might be a pretty bad offensive football (OL), but you can't have your offense perform the way it did save for the last 5 + minutes of the game.

 

[ktuck911]

At this point we are a FCS team sprinkled with FBS players. BD inherited a team that is not competitive at this level. It serves no purpose to dump on him or the players. They are what they are. My money is on BD . He knows who he wants to recruit and how to shape the team. I'm thinking a three year rebuild and then we will be sniffing the top 25, or maybe even be there. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the tailgating and cheer what little successes they have.

I think our OL is FCS level talent for the most part

 

[zls44]

I think HCBD was possessed by Hank Stram last night

68 cross power trap, baby

 

[CTMike]

We should probably close up the CR board because we sure as ain't going anywhere until we can play better than FCS level. It is truly stunning how bad our OL is.

 

[noeynox]

Just go shot gun and try quick passes/slants etc, when you want to pass. This nonsense of trying to run play action when the qB sees a DL the second he looks up after the fake handoff. Last night's game was won/lost by coaching. USF brought a DB blitz up to the LOS and we didn't pick it up. Led to a turnover and quick score for them. On fourth and long we bring no pressure and Obi gets burned again. On third and 16, we drop into essentially a prevent, and give up a 17 yard run. The nonsesnese of 3 three straight runs and punting.

I know Diaco needs time, but he has to give the appearance he is trying to win, and not keep scores close. You're going to have 10k at Rentschler later this year if this keeps up. Sheesh.

 

[noeynox]

We should probably close up the CR board because we sure as ain't going anywhere until we can play better than FCS level. It is truly stunning how bad our OL is.

It seems like our guys have trouble walking off the field. I am not being funny either after a punt against Boise, I noticed a tall awkward kid jogging off the field very awkwardly. I looked up the number in the game program and it was Tommy Hopkins. Right away I thought, no way a kid that moves like that is anywhere near ready to help on the oline. Toward the end of the Edsall era, the OL recruiting seems to have taken a step back, and who knows what the hell P was doing. I cannot believe they are this bad.

 

[uconnflyer88]

Again showed unwillingness to change the plan

It was obvious that the run was not working, but he was stubborn. .... is it arrogance or first year innocence?

 

[sportsart]

WE SUCK A LOT OF DICK, there its the simplest way to put it.

We are talking about the team, not your Friday nights.

 

[noeynox]

We are talking about the team, not your Friday nights.

Your post reminded me of this.

 

[Waquoit]

I honestly don't know what people were expecting from this team. Way too early for all the hand-wringing and putting on the hair shirt. Getting on Diaco for his positivity seems especially wrong-headed.

 

[BugsyCT]

Diaco said post-game that the weather was a big factor in deterring what they had wanted to do offensively. Seemed like we were able to run the ball with some success, but couldn't sustain anything. Add on the horrid field position all night, bonehead false start penalties, and non-existent pass protection, and you get the results.

Even with that, you have to attempt maintain a semblance of a passing attack. Instead the O just went into a shell to keep the game close.

We're just wasting GDavis at this point. Pitiful.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

The team is awful and Diaco has shown me nothing to make me believe he's the man for the job.

What's scary going forward is the kids he's bringing in barely have MAC level level offers. You can recruit "under the radar" if you can develop talent like FHCRE, but if you can't... well.... you end up with a poor MAC level team, which at this point I'm not even sure we're that.

Also, please spare me the first road game nonsense. We've probably had practices in Storrs with more boneyard posters giving away the gameplan from their dorm, than people at the game last night. LSU's Death Valley that was not.

 

[KMM'03]

I see a lot of talent and effort on this team which is why it is so frustrating to watch them play awful.

They have a stud WR in Davis who often is given a big cushion... get him the ball quick and often! And use the speed that they have in Fox on a streak down the sideline or something. He won't catch them all, but it will be big when he does and it will stretch out the D. Do it on first down... stop waiting until 3rd & long.

The running backs are small but quick. So spread the D out with 3 or 4 wrs then hand off to them or run a dump, swing or screen pass. They need room... Running up the middle plays to their own weakness.

The O line obviously needs a ton of improvement. Help them out by spreading the D out on every play! Bringing in extra blockers and running up the middle is a waste of a play. Run a draw play to keep the D honest if they need to.

At QB, so sad to see Casey have to hang them up after finally getting the nod he deserved. Good for him to make that tough but smart decision.
I had been a downer on Whitmer for a long time, but the last 2 games he changed my opinion. He can throw a decent ball when given a chance. Like most he has a weakness, his weakness is presence under pressure... which is killer when combined with the struggling O line over his entire career. So any drop back pass is a waste of a play just like running up the middle!! They would be better off taking a knee on those plays. They should only be running quick 2 step drop (not the ball!) passes, screens, or maybe even try a roll out with Fox deep and Davis shallower.

The D has been playing well with the exception of some breakdowns. They are keeping the team in the game and I expect they will continue to improve.

Like most I have been very excited about the hiring of Diaco (almost as excited as my wife) to get this program back where it should be. But to me, the coaching really needs to focus on the teams strengths to give them the best chance to win.

I'm looking forward to next weeks tailgate! but not excited to be in the stadium for 4 quarters if it's going to look at all like last night did.

Is there a word limit on this???? Sorry I may have gone a little long with my rant!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

At this point we are a FCS team sprinkled with FBS players. BD inherited a team that is not competitive at this level. It serves no purpose to dump on him or the players. They are what they are. My money is on BD . He knows who he wants to recruit and how to shape the team. I'm thinking a three year rebuild and then we will be sniffing the top 25, or maybe even be there. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the tailgating and cheer what little successes they have.

Enough excuses. Weist had this team looking like an FBS program at the end of last year.

 

[noeynox]

You simply cannot disagree Nelson on this one. Somehow, TJ incorporated a quick passing game that focused on getting the ball into the hands of the WRs quickly, and we looked competent. Beat a bowl eligible RU team in the process.

Maybe this is part of Diaco's process for a long term program, but any decent coach should try to win by maximizing his team's talents. For us coming, in we thought that was the WRs. One pass to Geremy Davis all night. How many to Foxx? Forget the fact that both Lemelle and Bradley looked real promising as true freshmen and both have been relegated to no mans land as we watch 5th yr senior Kamal Abrams drop passes?

I believe in Diaco, but even the staunchest of uconn supporters has to see there are some real head scratchers taking place here. Some real big ones.

 

[kemba]

Enough excuses. Weist had this team looking like an FBS program at the end of last year.

No he didn't.

It's not the same team.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

No he didn't.

It's not the same team.

Scoreboard for last year.

As for it not being the same team, you are right. The team is a year older and a year removed from Pasqualoni's and Deleone's terrible coaching. The team should be a lot better.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Tough to defend Diaco, but for crying out loud the most glaring weakness on the team is the O line - compare this year's unit with last year's. It's not afair comparison.

 

[businesslawyer]

Enough excuses. Weist had this team looking like an FBS program at the end of last year.

Yes he did. With Casey Cochran and a senior class that had tasted the Fiesta Bowl and experience on the OL. HCBD has none of those

 

[junglehusky]

Enough excuses. Weist had this team looking like an FBS program at the end of last year.

TJ Weist ain't walking through that door.

 

[SubbaBub]

Any excuse for last night is paper thin and equally transparent. Players, coaches, whatever, this is supposed to be a top division FB team, it isn't. It can't even pretend for more than 5 minutes. If it's not a first possession fumble, it's a complete breakdown on defense, or a series of boneheaded penalties. Then we can talk about the lack of physical and mental preparedness on the offense, or the lack of pressure and tackling on defense. (Those delayed handoffs killed us).

Marriner and Newsome look like they could be good. 4yds a carry with this blocking is laudable. The DL looks to be doing it's job. Wain may need a leg replacement by the end of the season. Puyol looks good but we can't even get into FG range enough. Everyone else is suspect.